It's still only January, but spring sports at Long Beach City College slowly begin to get underway this weekend. On Sunday (Jan 31), the Vikings' men's volleyball team hosts the LBCC Invitational tournament to kick off the 2012 season.

Nine teams will be in action on three different courts all day on Sunday. Admission is free at the Hall of Champions Gym and the Small Gym (regular home of the Vikings).

Long Beach opens the tourney with an 8 am match against Golden West College, followed by another match shortly after vs. Moorpark College.

LBCC will play two more pool-play matches, starting at 11 am. The Vikings face Orange Coast College and then will follow with a match against Santa Barbara City College.

Pool-play matches will follow the best two-out-of-three format. Sets one and two will be played to 25 points with a deciding set three played to 15 points.

Playoff-round matches will begin at 2:30 pm, with the tournament final scheduled for 4 pm. Playoff matches will be played one set to 25 points, while the championship final will be played best two-of-three.

Matt Silva and Jonathan Charette (pictured) begin their first season as co-head coaches for Long Beach, but both are no strangers to the LBCC volleyball program. Silva has served as an assistant coach at LBCC for the past eight season, while Charette played two seasons at LBCC and was a member of the 2004 state championship squad. Charette also served as an assistant coach in 2009.

Last season (2011) under former head coach Randy Totorp, Long Beach compiled a 13-5 overall record, won a Western State Conference championship, and qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Men's Volleyball State Championship.

Totorp stepped down as head coach this fall after taking the position of interim athletic director at LBCC.

Photo by Chris Ruiz